


What to Expect when Witnesses are Expecting

by capsmightyshield



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Childbirth, Dancing, F/M, First Dates, Friends to Lovers, Minor Sexual Content, Partners to Lovers, Post-Apocalypse, Pre-Season/Series 03, Slow Dancing, abbie questions her ability to parent, begrudging corset wearing, but still post apocalypse, from heroing to parenting, he invites abbie to one, heroes become parents, ichabod becomes a father, ichabod in formal wear, ichabod loves historical era parties, it's time to try, some sexual content, think his halloween costume, vaguely post-apocalypse, what to expect when witnesses are expecting, witnesses become parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:53:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5161082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capsmightyshield/pseuds/capsmightyshield
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"A time could come when you aren't angry any more and I'm strong enough to risk losing the last of my imperviousness. Maybe then we could try to be together?" ~Dr. Temperance Brennan~</p><p>This is that time.<br/>Ichabod invites his 'leftenant' to an "in the era" ball that he planned with the Historical Society.  They promised each other that when the time came they would give it a try and Ichabod believes that now is that time, and gets far more than he bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Change In The Weather

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first Ichabbie fic, in fact this is my very first fic ever in this fandom. I was following along with Sleepy Hollow when it first started but then I kinda lost it but now I'm back and and an even bigger Sleepyhead than I started off as. I was in the Ichabbie tag and got inspired by all the kid fics and I think that Ichabbie would make the cutest babies. Plus I needed to write my own fic because the over abundance of fics where the name "lieutenant" is in place of the actual name of "Leftenant" bothered me more than I was aware that it would.
> 
> I hope that I capture the voices of these characters correctly especially since they are so fresh in my mind because i've finished 2 seasons in less than a week. I hope people enjoy this and please feedback would be lovely if you come across this and you get the chance.

Ichabod stood almost a head above most of the crowd and for that he was grateful.  He was looking out for someone in particular, and was quite excited to see how they would show up.  His head dipped low as passersby would either bow or curtsy.  Normally he felt at home in the clothing he had on, a more formal version of his everyday wear.  However, it felt a bit too itchy, and a bit to stifling as the nerves set in.  Would she really come, just because he'd asked? They had promised each other that there would come a time when after everything was over, and the word 'witness' was no longer their sole description, they would do something that they had both admitted to having wanted for quite some time.

He remembered fondly in the days after things ended, the conversations between himself and his Leftenant.  They'd hold up in Sheriff Corbin's cabin and spent days just talking, between the eating and sleeping they talked.  They talked about everything, from their bond, and what it would mean to no longer be witnesses, to what was going to happen between them now that it was all over.  They decided that a time would come when Ichabod wasn't grieving his wife and child and Abbie would be ready to let down the last of her walls.  

It had been months since then, and when Ichabod had sent the formal invitation he was thinking that it was finally that time.  He knew it was for himself, as he felt the ache in his heart for his dead wife and son growing easier and easier to deal with.  He knew that he would never fully be rid of the feelings, but he knew that eventually things would get easier, the hurt would lessen and he'd be ready to give himself over to someone new, and the only person he wanted to give himself to was Abbie, and he hoped she felt the same about the timing.

When he pulled himself from his thoughts his gaze wandered to the door.  It was as if time slowed and everyone had stopped to watch her beauty enter the door.  He always imagined she would be beautiful dressed as women did in his time, but his expectations where far exceeded.  The pale pink of the bodice fit perfectly with the almost but not quite, mint green of the dress itself, and accentuated the beauty of her dark skin, and the shape the corset gave drew attention to her already small waist and plentiful bust.

Ichabod found he couldn't take his eyes off of her, as she looked around, her fingers loosely gripping the side of her dress to keep from stepping on the bottom.  Abbie's curious gaze turned into a relieved smile when she noticed him over by the refreshment table.  She moved a few of her ringlets behind her ear as she slowly made her way over to where he stood.  He imagined his smile took up his entire face, but he tried to tamper it down to a fond grin as she finally made it to where he stood.

"Lady Mills," he said, dipping his head shallowly in formal acknowledgment.

"Captain Crane."  She curtsied, dipping her head also, holding out her hand for him to take as she'd seen him do with other women.

"M'lady, I was unsure if my request would be answered.  However, I am very happy to see that my invitation did not overstep any bounds."  His long fingers gripped hers lightly as he bowed, leaning in to kiss the back of her hand, blue eyes catching her copper flecked brown ones.  She curtsied again her body dipping along with her head as she.

"You're being awful formal tonight, Crane."

"Well this is a formal event, Miss Mills.  It would follow logic that I should only treat you as such whilst we're here." Ichabod let go of Abbie's hand and took a step back, his eyes ghosting over her slowly.  

She was an exquisite sight to behold.  Better than any painting he'd ever been privy to, worth more words than any book could ever form.  There was nothing that could quite define the way the light bounced off the darkness of her hair, shadowing the bouncy ringlets, but causing an almost ethereal glow to form around her.  

He didn't have much knowledge of makeup, but what he did know of it, was nowhere near the sight he beheld on his Leftenant's face.  It was as if she were wearing hints of makeup but none at all, as if someone had done some sort of witchcraft, but he knew it was just the way she was.  A soft line it seemed deepened the pout of of her full lip, giving them a look that almost caused him to commit an act of impropriety right there, if only to capture them against his own for a few seconds of what he knew would be pure decadence.   Ichabod reached her eyes, another soft line there at the top of her lid and a very faint one on the bottom widened the already beautiful shape of her eyes, giving her a doe like innocence that only accented that which the copper flecked fired brass of her irises already gave her.

Abbie could feel her cheeks heat a few degrees and knew it had nothing to with the bodice of her dress that squoze her in all the right places.  His gaze was intense, as if someone had built a fire in front of her and she stood in front of it letting it warm her from head to toe.  

She herself allowed a glance at the man in front of her and was beyond impressed with what she saw.  The deep blue of his jacket and pants was an offset of his ocean colored eyes but still accented them so well.  The lapels of his jacket, which was slightly similar to the one he wore often, were covered in a goldish colored design that wasn't at all gaudy an was actually very Ichabod.  It caused a small smile to turn up her lips, as she continued her assesment.  Underneath was a gold vest of the same designs, covering a white shirt that ruffled at the collar and out over the opening of the vest.  His shoes were a shiny black, the buckles also accented in a shiny gold, and were offset with his white stockings.  It was a chore to get him out of those clunky boots and it amused Abbie to see him in something that was even less of a modern social norm than those.  His beard was neatly trimmed and with a quick cut of her eyes she noticed that while the front tendrils of his already curly hair were pinned into curls the back was in a thick braid that tapered off at the collar of his jacket and was tied with a black ribbon.

With a soft sigh the dark skinned woman lifted the fan she'd brought, flipped it open and fanned herself lightly, hoping to remove some of the redness and heat from her cheeks.

"You look very dashing, Captain.  And to think you could dress like this all the time, but would rather get your clothes down at the reenactment sight."  Abbie's chuckle was barely there but it gave Ichabod's heart a reason to flutter softly in his chest.  Even on what she would have coined as "his home field" she was still a ball of sass and fire and wit, that would've fit right in with the women he'd known, perhaps even made a few of them jealous and set their husbands or partners tongues wagging.  It was one of the reasons that had sent him spiraling down the rabbit hole of attraction and then way more, for her.  He was beyond enamored by everything Abbie represented, what Benjamin Franklin would've called the American Dream.  She was beautiful, fierce, well educated and vastly independent, something women of his time simply were not.  To simply put it, she was different than any woman he'd ever known and these things were only found int his woman, his partner, his Leftenant and most importantly the sharer of his bond with the here and now of 2015.

The brunette Englishman was about to return her quip when he heard the sound of a small chime, signaling that the dance was to begin.  With another flourish he held out his arm, "Lady Mills, would you care to have this dance with me?"

For the first time that night Abbie broke character.  "Crane please, you know I don't dance.  You gave up trying to teach me don't you remember."

He did, he remembered fondly how both of them had ended up frustrated and he called the whole thing off, just to stop the frown that had etched itself onto her features.  "AH yes, but this one is one you picked up easily, from the fluid movements in body, to the intense stare.  The one in which you pull your partner in not with touch, but with the intensity of being so close and yet not touching at all.  A dance you said you wished still existed, to show people that not everything is in the way one places their hands upon another, but that you can unearth the same feelings and shake someone to their core with a simple flick of the eyes or a lasting gaze."

Again he flourished holding out his arm for her as the other people paired off before the dance was to begin.  Abbie's head cocked slightly to the side, but she signaled her defeat with a soft sigh and a fond but frustrated grin as she lay her arm atop his and accompanied him to the floor.  He deposited her on the side of the floor that the women stood. moving quickly to his own side as the music began.  

The pairs moved closer, the men bowing and then the women giving a low curtsy.  Left hands and their opposites went up as the couples circled each other slowly.  Not one eye in the house strayed, but neither Abbie nor Ichabod would've noticed, as their gazes solidified on each other, and everything else but the music faded around them.  As they finished their first circle, right hands and their opposites went up and another circle was completed.  Then both hands another circle.  Neither Abbie nor Ichabod spoke, letting their eyes do all the talking for them.  Abbie had been right of course, their eyes said everything that words would fail to  explain.  As they finally came together hand in hand his hand cupping her shoulder blade lightly, and her own flat against his shoulder, they both let out a breath that neither knew the other was holding.

"Why now, Crane?  After all this time, why now?"  They moved across the floor with ease, as her words flowed between just them.

"I could not leave things as they were, Abigail.  Things between us were not left in the nice and neat little box we assumed.  We said that when the time came that I was no longer grieving and you were no longer a prisoner to your own emotional shields that we would give this a try, and I'm ready, Leftenant.  I always have been.  It took only one time of almost losing you, and watching my ex-wife try to kill you with her bare hands for me to see it."  Ichabod pulled her closer, his hand now at the small of her back, keeping their bodies close as they spoke.

"We did promise that, but how do I know that you're telling me the truth and vice versa?  Our bond was almost broken by lies and deceit and rushing when the time called for us to move slowly and with careful thought.  You know that I'll always admit that losing you would basically kill me, but if we added another layer to that, and something happened and you were gone, I'd be as good as dead."

"Do you not know that, it is the same for me?  Do you think I would be so careless as to call upon you before time enough had passed?  You presence in my mind is daily, and it is not a bother but most welcome.  I discovered that I will always grieve for my wife and son, but that ache will dull, but the new one that blossomed while we were apart, can only be remedied with you at my side, with my heart in your hand where it has belonged since I begrudgingly left you in purgatory."  

Ichabod took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he chose to air out his dirty laundry, as he remembered Miss Jenny speaking at some point.  "During our time apart I worked desperately to keep you out of my head so that I could get to the point we had discussed, but without you I have no clarity of mind.  I could not have patched the hole in my heart without thinking of the way the vein in your forehead makes itself visible," he took his hand from her back and pressed a thumb lightly to her forehead, "when you smile so big that all of your perfect teeth show.  There would've been nothing to medicate the sting of losing my son, if didn't have the sound of your laughter, like a dozen church bells all ringing in a beautiful unison, filling my ears, as it does when you are poking fun at my distaste and inability to fully acclimate to this time.  I am there, Leftenant.  I have reached the point where I am no longer grieving for what I have lost, but am willing to step into what I could have."

Abbie regarded him as he spoke, biting her lip when his thumb pressed against her forehead.  Her eyes never left his as he spoke with such passion about her.  He had the same passion for his colonial era rantings and his distaste for the changes that he had not foreseen when he had begun to fight for the free nation he was now a part of.  Was he that passionate about her?  Did his feelings for her reach so deep that he could speak of her as if she were something he could not live without?

"What if I'm not there yet?"  Her voice was small, barely heard above the noise of the music.  "What if I can't let you all the way in Crane?  I want to, I wish that I could so badly, but what if I can't and I hurt you.  I don't want to treat you the way Katrina did.  I want things to be different, because I could never live with myself if I know I caused the looks on your face that I saw when you watched her hurt you time and time again.  I'd rather face a thousand apocalypses alone, than know that it's my fault that you're hurting all over again."  Her words were sincere.  Even thinking about it sent a pang of pain through her chest and heart.

"You must know that I would never rush you on my behalf.  If you seek more time, even if it means being apart for a little longer, than I would surely give you what you needed.  We've defeated evil, won the war that General Washington and the rest of our Founding Fathers spent so much time detailing in secret about.  We have time, more time then we could ever know what to do with, and I will give you every second you need of that time, until you are ready.  You are not simply a dalliance or another notch in my belt, as Miss Jenny so quaintly put it.  You are worth waiting for, you are everything Grace Abigail Mills.  And if you need more time, once you've found what you're looking for, I will spend the rest of time showing you, exactly what your true worth is, what you truly mean to me."

The song ended as the last of Ichabod's words trailed off.  They were meant to separate back into their lines of men and women, but Abbie kept a hold to him, not letting him leave her presence.  Without a second thought, full soft lips met with thin and slightly dry lips.  She didn't even know she was going to do it until it happened and when it did she sunk into it gladly.  It caught the Englishman off guard but he settled into it as well, it felt like coming home after a particularly long battle and realizing you've won and so never have to leave again.  Abbie's tongue swiped tentatively at the lips against her own, and once permission was given the flood gates opened.  Her fingers gripped tightly into the lapels of his jacket, and his hands gripped where they had landed against her shoulder and back, anchoring to the kiss, to him.  Just as quickly as it began it ended, both panting as they pulled apart.  light brown eyes stared longingly into kiss dazed blue ones.  A lip was caught between top and bottom teeth, before it was slowly released, so that it's owner could speak.  Abbie closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against his jaw, his beard soft against her temple as she sighed.

_"Can we go somewhere?"_


	2. 6 Weeks in she was 3 weeks late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"We were young and on fire. It just couldn't wait. 'Cause six weeks in she was three weeks late. One means none, and we're home free. Two means three and a diamond ring. Yeah I wonder what fate, is gonna decide, we're just sittin' 'round waitin on two pink lines."_
> 
>  
> 
> The drive for this chapter comes from this song actually which is **Two Pink Lines by Eric Church from the Sinners Like Me** album. The time frame of 6 weeks in she was 3 weeks late doesn't apply here because writing 6 weeks after the event would be bogus as fuck for both myself and you guys but it will sorta be like that more like 3 weeks in she was 2 weeks late :P

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than I expected... I had to go searching for my notebook that had all my notes in it from when I wrote a preggo fic a while ago. I wanted to have it before I got any further into this fic so I could have references. So as a disclaimer all notes were taken from the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and a couple websites from google search. Which I do not own.

"So you and Ichy--"

"Jenny, that's not the point.  I called you over because I thought you would be able to focus."  Abbie groaned as she fell against the arm of her couch.

After the Historical Society's party, Abbie and Ichabod had spent some time talking and hashing things out.  They both felt like they were willing to give this a try.  At first Abbie felt like she was forcing it, knowing that Ichabod had let her know that he was ready, but thinking back to their conversation on the dance floor, and the things that had transpired thereafter, she knew she was ready.  He'd been knocking down her walls one by one since he'd arrived at the precinct and the last one came crumbling down as they moved so sinfully together, that Moloch himself would've thought they'd joined his side.

"I am focusing... on the fact that you and Ichy got it on and you waited for three weeks to tell me.  I'm focused on my disappointment that I thought we were closer than that, but clearly you don't seem to think so."  If it had been anyone but Abbie listening, they'd have believed her.  However, Abbie knew her sister and she knew that Jenny was being sarcastic.  She aimed a well placed kick to her sister's hip, her bare heel digging into the jean material covering her sister's legs. "Ow! Abbs, you jerk." Jenny rubbed her thigh, glaring at the other woman on the opposite end of the couch.

"Now as I was saying.  I was going to tell you but, Crane wanted to keep things between us for a while.  I agreed, it was best, and so we've just been keeping it under our hats.  Spending most of our time out at the cabin, and with no big bads to fight off, it's been easy to go from the precinct right over to Corbin's place with no real interference."  Abbie shrugged, her head tilting off to the side nonchalantly.  It didn't seem such a big deal to her.  Of course she knew it would be t Jenny, because she knew that if Jenny had secretly hooked up with someone and waited to tell her she would've lost her shit, so turn about was indeed fair play.

"Okay so you and Ichy decided to keep thing between the two of you and I get that, except not really, because hello I'm me and I need to be told everything all the time," Jenny caught Abbie's foot this time pinching one of her toes harshly before continuing, "But why decide to tell me now?  Three weeks seems like a small amount of time to keep it a secret.  Usually people try and keep it from prying eyes for months.  Why now, Abbs?  Is everything alright?  He didn't hurt you did he?  I will break his arms and legs and then make him sit and watch while I dismember his coat thread by thread."

Abbie knew that Jenny was serious, about harming Crane, because that just who she was. Plus again if it had been Jenny in her position she'd have said the same thing.  She shook her head, a fond smile on her lips, trying to reassure her younger sister that Crane had indeed not put herself or her emotions into any kind of harms way.  As a matter of fact he treated her with a fragility that she hadn't expected.  She appreciated it, she did, but sometimes it felt as if he was walking on eggshells around her.  Tip toeing past certain topics, while directly and unabashedly avoiding others all together.  Abbie knew that he was doing it out of the goodness of her heart, but at some point she'd have to sit him down and let him know that the gloves with which he handled her were not necessary.

"No, Jenny everything's fine, Ichabod he, treats me way better than any other guy I've ever been with.  I know it's mostly because of the time period he came from, but that doesn't stop it from making me feel special.  It's nice."  Abbie sighed, ready to get into the real reason she was sitting in her apartment with her sister, having sent Ichabod on a mission to get some things she needed in order to cook him dinner later.

"Jenny the reason I'm telling you now is... I'm late."

Abbie waited for any kind of dawning or recognition to appear on her sister's face.  At first she looked confused, her mouth open, ready to ask the question of what the hell she meant when Abbie begin to see the light of realization dawn in Jenny's eyes.  Brown eyes grew wide first with realization and then with shock before she clasped her hand over her mouth, looking at her sister with an eyebrow raised but shock still present in her eyes.

"How long?"

"Two weeks?"  Abbie made herself even smaller pressing herself into her side of the couch as she waited for Jenny to blow a gasket.  She opened one eye to see Jenny had hopped up and was pacing.

"So you're telling me, that you could be carrying a little Ichy in there, that is what you're saying to me? Because that worked out so well the first damn time!"

That was the jibe Abbie had been waiting on.  Between the three of them it was no secret what the offspring of Ichabod Crane were capable of, but she had to believe this would be different.  When that thought first crossed her mind she wondered if that was the thing Katrina was constantly talking about, the hope and faith in your child to choose to or even just be good.  Henry, or Jeremy or whatever had chosen his path out of anger for his parents abandoning him and leaving him with no one to guide him but the forces of evil.  That wouldn't be true for this child, if Abbie was even pregnant.  There was no one to kill Ichabod or even put him to sleep for 250 more years, but even if by some stretch of the imagination something did happen to either one of them.  It was the 21st century and women or men raised children on their own all the time, and if Abbie was indeed pregnant with a tiny Crane, she could handle it.

"Look, Jenny I know that Henry or Jeremy or whatever didn't turn out so well but look who his mother was.  The woman didn't even know what path she was truly on, and Ichabod was dead for two and a half centuries.  If I am pregnant, Ichabod is alive and well, and I know my path, more or less but I also don't any evil forces trying to sway me or kill me anymore.  If this is true, I and Crane can do for this child what he and Katrina couldn't in their own time.  Don't be so quick to dismiss this as a bad thing.  It took me a while to come around and past the Henry corner too, but we don't even know if I'm pregnant alright so let's not raise any heckles or anything now okay?"  Abbie had gotten to her feet by now and was standing face to face with Jenny, both of them staring at each other with a high intensity.  Finally, Jenny let out a sigh and held her hands up as if in defeat.

"Alright, fine if you say so, but before we go jumping t any conclusions about good versus evil tiny baby Cranes, let's go find out if you are indeed pregnant."  Jenny snapped up the keys to Abbie's SUV and dangled them before heading out the door.

***

"Come on Abbs, how long could it take to wazz on some sticks man?  You've been in there for like eighty years, I could've had five or six children by now."  Jenny thunked her head against the wall outside of her sister's bathroom, where she sat with her back against the wall, knees drawn up to her chest.  She hated waiting, it was the worst part of any situation.  She'd never been a patient woman, and everyone knew that, but there were things in the world that had to be waited for, and as much as Jenny hated it, she knew this was one of them.

Abbie walked out of the bathroom, drying her hands on a towel as she walked past where her sister sat.  In her peripherals she saw Jenny pop up and follow her into the kitchen.  "I'll have you know that what just transpired in that bathroom is harder than it looks, was messy and gross on so many levels, and if anyone had been witness to it I'd be living life with zero to negative dignity."

Jenny couldn't help but laugh at that as she sat at the bar on the opposite side of the kitchen.  Her fingers tapped against the white counter top as her laughter died down.  "I read one of those boxes... what are we supposed to do for three minutes or less?"

Abbie shrugged, not sure of anything at this point.  Her mind was running back and forth with the possibilities.  What would she do if all or most of them came back positive?  Would she be happy, would she be scared, would she freak out or even cry?  Or what if they were negative?  Would she be disappointed, would she be relieved, would she be happy would she say anything to Ichabod if there was really nothing to tell?  there was too much to think about and not a lot of time to think about it in.  Even as the three minutes ticked by as slowly as she'd ever seen time move, it still didn't give her time to assemble some sort of proper reaction to either outcome.  Was there even a proper reaction?

Her phones timer sounded loud in the eerily silent kitchen.  It made her jump almost a foot off the floor.  She took a deep breath and looked at Jenny, who had a look of sympathy etched across her features.

"Look, Sis, we don't even have to look if you don't want to know yet.  I can just go in there scoop them all into a plastic bag, tie it up, and we can wait until you're ready and even go to a doctor to be super positive.  No one says you have to be ready for this right now, we can wait."  Jenny had stood up and was heading for the bathroom, waiting for her sister's reaction, for her to say something.

"It'll be fine, right?  It's just an at home test, these things are false all the time I mean, it's just some colored lines, of course."  Abbie looked at Jenny, hoping the fear wasn't as evident in her eyes as it was in her voice, despite all of her trying to keep it at bay.  

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, taking on an almost Crane like stance before walking directly towards the bathroom.  She opened the door and stood there nervously in front of the sink where she'd placed all the tests face down.  Her hand shook as she reached out to pick one up.  Immediately she retracted her hand as if it had been burned, holding it with her other hand massaging her palm gently.  The words from her sister played in her mind, but she'd already come this far, all she had to do was flip over the first one and the rest would come easier, or so she hoped.

Another attempt was made, her hand still shaky as she picked it up.  Abbie's slender fingers gripped one of the many tests that littered the sink, and she braced herself, closing her eyes as she flipped it over.  Her chest moved slowly as she took a couple deep breaths before opening one eye peering at the test.

Two lines.

A plus sign.

Pregnant.

A smiley face.

Two more pink lines.

Another plus sign.

There was two more but it was clearly not necessary for her to flip them, because she knew what they would say.  She was pregnant.  She was carrying a baby Crane inside of her.  Grace Abigail Mills being of sound mind and body, was going to be pushing out something roughly the size of a jack 'o' lantern out of her body in 9 months.

Abbie turned to her sister, holding all the tests she'd flipped over looking at her sister in shock.  "They're all positive.  Jenny, I'm carrying around a baby Crane inside of me, right now. I'm--"

"Leftenant?"

The name cut her off, and she looked up to see Ichabod standing there, with his mouth hanging open, the groceries falling from his hands and spilling out over both the hardwood and the tile of her floors.

**********

"Are you absolutely certain that you are with child?" Ichabod didn't look at either of the sisters, just simply sat in between them, his hands clasped together and pressed to the space between his nose and lips.  With a sister on each side, they both had their arms wrapped around one of his arms, in a sign of comfort.  Abbie had taken it a step further, her hand running up and down his back in loving and soothing motion, her head leaning against his shoulder.

"I could tell you no, Crane but I took like eight of these and they're all positive.  The boxes all say that the longer you wait the more accurate they are, but I'd still have to visit the doctor to be sure.  But between the positives on these tests, and the fact that I'm two weeks late, it all screams to one conclusion."

Ichabod's head turned slowly, his blue eyes clouded with so many emotions it was hard to pick out just one to focus on.  The fear, which she was expecting.  There was doubt, and anguish, and even some unwillingness to accept the situation.  But on top of all of that was a layer of anxiety, reluctance and happiness.  Abbie hadn't been sure exactly what Crane's reaction would be, as she had never really thought about her own.  Even with the apocalypse ended and evil vanquished, the world was still a pretty horrible place to bring a child into, but that was where the hope cam in right?  The hope that their child would be the one to grow up and shake things up, make waves and ripples and change the world in a way that made things better for him or her having been alive.

So was she happy, maybe?  Was she scared, hell yeah.  One thing she knew for absolute certain was that this kid, whatever it may be, wasn't going to turn out like Jenny had thought, or what she knew Ichabod feared most.  They would make sure of it, together.

With that thought, Abbie dropped to her knees in the space between the coffee table and her, whatever he was going to call himself, partner, suitor?  She locked her brown eyes with his, prying his hands away from his face and entwining their fingers together.  He leaned in pressing their foreheads together and closed his eyes, them both taking a deep breath simultaneously.

"No matter what happens, boy or girl, healthy or sick.  It won't happen again, Ichabod.  The apocalypse may be over but we're still witnesses and we won't let that happen. Not now, not as long as we're alive, or ever again in history for that matter. It's not going to be the same, things are different, times are different and you and I, together, we can handle anything."


	3. Never Knew I Needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this took forever but I'm actually doing it so please just bare with me yes? Also in this chapter some trickery, but it's necessary to help these two see what's right in front of them.

It was funny for Abbie to sit on the table and watch Ichabod as he stared at everything in the room.  A dentists office wasn’t much different than a doctor’s office but they had their distinct differences.  Especially and OBGYN office.  His mutterings about things needing to be so shiny and tools that looked to be more for torture rather than the joy’s of life, provided her with a distraction she desperately wanted.  A chance to get out of her head space and focus on the moment.  It had been hard to do so with Crane pacing back and forth and asking her if she was sure.  He’d stopped that after she’d threatened him with intense bodily harm and a month on the couch if he didn’t stop asking her if she was positive.  She understood his nervousness though, his need for reassurance on the subject matter.  Things had changed so drastically for them in just a matter of weeks and it all seemed so surreal that she wished she could step outside of herself and ask herself if she was positive about all of this.

“Are they certain that all of these tools are necessary in an endeavor to bring forth a life into this world?” Crane’s question brought her thoughts to an abrupt halt, her brown eyes looking up at him in amusement.

“Crane, first of all sit, take a load off, eh?  You’re going to burn a hole in the floor with all of your pacing.  Second of all I’m sure that not all of those things will be used here, it’s just a check up to make sure that I really am "with child”, she mocked, “and if I am that everything is on the up and up with me and the baby.” Abbie, chuckled lightly and motioned for him to sit in the chair next her.  She watched as he tentatively took a seat, perched in his way as if ready to jump up and go at a moments notice.  A conditioned habit of being a soldier, he’d explained to her.  She understood in her time as a cop there was never much time to sit around, and when her role as witness kicked in, the time to sit and relax was very close to non existent, even though they managed on a rare occasion.

“I do apologize, Leftenant, it just seems that some of these, devices are more for mere torture rather than the aid in checking if you have a proverbial bun in the proverbial oven.”  He leaned forward in the chair, staring into the large monitor across from him.  "I also cannot seem to form an understanding as to why there is a television in here with nothing on it.“ He crossed a leg and stared intently at Abbie who was doing all she could to keep from bursting out into peals of laughter.  Sometimes his cluelessness was endearing, sometimes annoying, and more often than not it was just amusing and this was one of those amusing times.

"Oh but it will show the best movie you’ve ever seen in your life, mister,” there was a pause as the person who’d just entered the room answered him without missing a beat, “Crane, is it?”  Abbie and Crane both looked up to see Dr. Marks entering the room. “I’m Doctor Marks and while yes a lot of these devices resemble medieval torture devices I can assure you only some of them are.”

Abbie could only laugh at the look on Crane’s face as he stared at the woman as if she’d grown a second and third head.  Ichabod's brow arched as he looked at Abbie's clearly amused self and the doctor's eyes shining with a barely there twinkle of amusement.  "I see that you are only Joshing with me. A most enjoyed prank indeed." His expression showed no amusement. Causing Abbie to snort as she tried to keep in another bout of laughter.

"Come on, Crane, it was a joke to lighten the mood."  Abbie reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder, offering him a sweet smile.

Crane looked at her, his eyebrow once again arching, his lips pursed as if he'd dug in his heels on being just a titch angry on the matter.  However, the smile that crossed Abbie's face melted his heart and he could nothing but concede with a small eye roll.  "Oh alright, Leftenant, so long as no more 'jokes' like that are to be made." His long fingers twined with hers and he took her hand from his shoulder, placing a kiss on the back.

"I can make that promise, now that I've done it once, there'll be no need.  Now, let's get to the good stuff.  We took a urine sample before we got you into the room and," Dr. Marks looked at her clipboard flipping the pages, ", and it looks like everything is in order, your hormone levels are steady and it looks like you're not pregnant after all.  Those tests that they sell in the stores can only be so accurate, and while it's not always statistically possible to take as many as you did and have them be false positives it can happen.  I'm not sure how you both felt about this so I'll give you a few moments.  Uhm, there's somethings I'd to speak to you about so I'll be back in a few." She left the room, letting the door slowly close behind her.

It seemed Abbie and Crane had both been holding their breath, Abbie's amusement from earlier gone and settled over with nervousness.  The two let their breaths out at almost the same time, Abbie's head tipping back against the table she was sitting on.  She wasn't sure where the onslaught of tears came from but she could feel her eyes welling quickly.

"Leftenant?" Crane's voice was soft and sympathetic, his blue eyes wet as well as he looked on at his partner.

"You talk first? I-I need a moment here." The brown skinned woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath, squeezing Crane's hand lightly.

"Well uhm, if I can be candid for a moment?  I must say I'm disappointed by the outcome.  At first I thought if she says you're not with child then, I'd be relieved but it seems I am if the opposite emotion.  I find myself thinking that this would've been a second chance for me, and a new adventure for us.  Another challenge that we could tackle together.  Our tribulations are over and this, our child, would've been something we could've counted as a triumph.  Letting the world know that not only could you not tear us down when you wanted, but that we came out of it for the better and with something joyous to celebrate.  I find myself grieving once again, but this time for something that I was not even sure I wanted."

Abbie looked over at Ichabod, her cheeks wet from tears.  She took her hand from his and used her thumb to wipe his own set of tear tracks away.

"How can you miss something you never had right?" She used her other hand to wipe her tears away before looking back at Crane and taking a deep breath.  "I was scared at first, mostly scared and a lot worried.  The first time we decided to  act on our feelings and I ended up pregnant.  It's the kind of stuff they teach you to be wary of in school y'know?  Preaching not to get so caught up in the moment that you forget to keep these kinds of things from happening.  I was worried because I was afraid how you would react and everything was just sort of piling in on me.  But after we'd talked and then sitting here waiting I felt just the tiniest bit of excitement, thinking that after all of the shit we had to go through that there was something, a light at the end of the tunnel.  Finally one good thing to come from our time of wading through so much bad.  There's no, I'm not relieved I'm just sad, because I guess I didn't even realize how much I wanted our child until Dr. Marks told us he or she didn't exist."

There was a tiny knock on the door and the doctor peeked her head in, asking if it was okay to come in.  Both Abbie and Ichabod nodded, trying to keep the sadness from their faces.  Dr. Marks stepped in and pulled up her chair, smiling at the two before she began speaking.

"We get a lot of couples in here who aren't sure what they want or how they'll feel if they find out their having a child.  It freaks them out, they worry about financial things, spacial issues, and every other thing under the sun.  It becomes such a burden to them while they sit here and they get so relieved when I tell them they have nothing to worry about.  I could see the fear in your eyes but there was something else and that's honestly what I'm witnessing right now.  Which is why I'm happy to let you know the honest truth Which is that you two will be the proud parents of a brand new little Sleepy Hollow citizen in about thirty-eight weeks give or take," she finished with a smile at the two witnesses.

The look of shock on Abbie and Crane's faces were picture perfect, but the smiles that spread across them moments later were even better.  "Did you do that on purpose doctor?"  Abbie asked, her voice happy but also a bit frustrated.

"I hate to say yes, but I did.  I want parents to know what their real reactions would be, and it's always easiest to be honest about something when you think or know you're not going to get it.  It's a little trick we use to show parents that maybe they're more ready for this than they think they are.  It usually comes about that the parents realize what they knew all along.  It's backfired on a us a few times but in this case I think it worked perfectly, and I know you two are going to be amazing parents.  Now would you like to see what is going to turn into the person you'll love more than anyone on this planet, even yourself?"  Dr. Marks wheeled the monitor over and flipped it on picking up the wand and coaxing Abbie to lift her shirt, letting her know the gel would be cold. 

**Author's Note:**

> The chapter limit... there may be more or less than what it says. I'm trying to give myself a limit so that I can make myself get to where I need to and not abandon this because Ichabbie is my lifeblood right now okay. So I'm setting it loosely at 13 there may only be 12 there may be 14 but I will finish this story. So like I said before feedback please? let me know what you think?


End file.
